Corvus: Flash Forward
by Neshomeh
Summary: A scene that should belong to "Corvus et Serpensia," if I ever get that far. It's set in the middle of Severus' last year at school, when the refuse really hits the rotary blades.


Jenni sat down across the table from Severus and brought her cupped hands before him. Between the palms she held a china cup of green tea.

Severus' eyes traveled from the cup to Jenni's earnest face.

"What's this?"

"Just drink it. Humor me."

Severus eyed her a moment longer, then reached for the cup. She moved her hands so he could take it and raise it to his pale lips. Jenni watched him intently as he drank.

Suddenly, his eyes went wide and he all but dropped the cup as a cough burst from his lungs. He covered his mouth quickly, but a little tea still sprayed across the table, making Jenni flinch. The spasm went on for a few seconds. Severus couldn't quite hide the bloody sputum that leaked between his fingers.

"Jesus." Jenni got up abruptly and came around to his side of the table, but Severus threw out his arm to forestall her.

"What did you do?" he growled harshly.

"I wouldn't do that," Jenni said. "Please."

His hand trembled before he let it fall. As Jenni ducked to take his arm across her shoulders, she looked at his face and saw that it was waxen and white except for his cheeks, which seemed to glow pink. Cold shock lanced her heart, but she went ahead and lifted Severus to his feet. He hadn't the strength in his ravaged body to fight her. All he had was his tongue.

"Please . . . don't take me to the hospital wing."

"But—"

"No. She knows. Since October, all right?"

Jenni swallowed, fighting frightened, angry tears and the feeling that she might be sick. She held Severus tightly.

"Where?"

Severus thought about it. He had his potion in the common room, but it was likely to be crowded at this time of day. No place was really safe. The lake, the courtyard . . . all the customary meeting places were out of the question. He didn't speak.

"We'll find something," Jenni said. "An empty classroom. Something."

In the end, they simply staggered across the hall to the small room where first years waited to be escorted into the Great Hall. It was completely empty, so they could only slide to the floor against a side wall. They sat in silence, unmoving, while Severus recovered himself. Eventually, he dragged his arm out from around Jenni's shoulders and folded both arms across his chest. In the quiet room, she could hear his raspy breathing. Shock froze into terror around her heart.

"I'm not contagious, so you can loosen up on my robes," Severus muttered raggedly. Jenni still had her arm around him and seemed intent on wearing a hole through the black fabric under his arm. "They can't cure me, but they can keep everyone else safe." His tone held contempt and scorn for healers everywhere.

Startled, Jenni let go and drew her arm toward herself. She paused halfway, though, and instead, reached for Severus' offside shoulder. It was silly to feel that he might suddenly wither and die if she let go, but she felt it. She held him close.

"It's no great loss, you know," he said quietly.

"Shut up."

She couldn't see it, but a smile touched his lips. "You can't fix it, Jenni. Better get used to the idea."

"I said shut up. I'm thinking." And she was, thinking hard about everything she had learned that year and the one stupid thing she was missing. If only she could figure it out! All of this could be made to go away, or to never even have existed. One thing she didn't have. The gateway. She had the key—every witch and wizard had the key—but she needed to make it turn. She was so close! She could feel it, almost as though, if she reached out with her hand, she could touch the solution.

_Flash._

Jenni blinked. Just for an instant, she thought she had seen something like two phantasmal cords twined about one another, one black, green, and silver, and the other green, blue, and brown. It was almost as though they came from inside herself, or Severus, or both. She realized that there weren't just two, but many, twined and twined about with others, all around, forever . . . .

"Jenni?" Severus raised his head and peered at her through his bright black eyes. She was staring at nothing like her mind was completely gone. He had never seen anyone look so empty. "Jenni!"

"Hm?" She blinked and looked at him. Her eyes were sapient again. She was all there as if nothing had happened, as though she didn't know minutes had passed.

Severus was about to speak when another spasm clawed at his lungs. He turned away from Jenni and coughed violently, unable to tear his hands from his shuddering sides even when a spray of pink foam splattered the wall and floor. God, the pain! He wasn't aware of Jenni putting her arms around his belly and laying her head against his back until the paroxysm ceased, as suddenly as it had come. He would have collapsed if she hadn't been holding him. It was all he could do to draw breath after wretched breath.

It was Jenni's worst nightmare come true. He was . . . he was . . . and there was nothing she could do about it! Not though she held him and poured all her will into mending his torn lungs would this go away. It was all she could do not to dissolve into sobs.

But she couldn't despair now. Especially not now. She had started down her path for just this reason. If she lost herself and gave up now, she would betray him and everything she believed would be for nothing. Severus did not deserve that.

"I'm going to help you," she swore, speaking so quietly he couldn't tell her words from a prayer. "Somehow . . . no matter what it takes or how long . . . I'm going to help you."


End file.
